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Since we are celebrating the anniversary of the first man on the moon (July 20, 1969) as our Theme of the Month, we selected MoonPies for our food discussion this month. Whip up one of the MoonPie recipes above (or buy some MoonPies and bring them to the activity). Then, while you are enjoying a snack, share the following interesting information about MoonPies.

What is a MoonPie?

A MoonPie is a marshmallow sandwich dipped in chocolate. Its delicious flavor and interesting folklore have made the MoonPie a unique snack favorite for generations.

The Very Beginning

MoonPie (one word) is a trademarked name of the Chattanooga Bakery, which was founded in the early 1900s as a subsidiary of the Mountain City Flour Mill in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The bakery's original purpose was to come up with ways to use the excess flour produced by the mill. By 1910, the bakery offered over 200 different confectionery items. In 1917, the bakery developed the MoonPie. (The MoonPie turns 90 this year!)

The exact history of how the MoonPie was invented was not documented by the Chattanooga Bakery. What a shame. However, historian Ronald Dickson of Charlotte, North Carolina, believes he has uncovered the true tale. Mr. Dickson wrote a book, The Great American MoonPie Handbook, about the MoonPie's lost history. Soon after his book was published, a man named Earl Mitchell, Jr. telephoned Mr. Dickson to tell him some exciting news. Earl identified his deceased father, Earl Mitchell, Sr., as the person responsible for the invention of the MoonPie.

As The Story Goes...

Early in the 1900s, while servicing his territory of Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, Mr. Mitchell was visiting a company store that catered to the coal miners. He asked them what they might enjoy as a snack. The miners said they wanted something for their lunch pails, but it had to be solid and filling. Mr. Mitchell asked, “About how big?” It was night and the moon was rising, so a miner held out his big hands to frame the moon and said, “As big as the moon and twice as thick!” Mr. Mitchell noticed some of the workers dipping graham cookies into marshmallow and placing them on the windowsill to harden. So, with that in mind, he headed back to the bakery with an idea. Mr. Mitchell added another cookie and a generous coating of chocolate and sent them back for the workers to try. Everyone loved the "MoonPies," which became a regular item for the bakery.

By the late 1950s, the MoonPie had grown in popularity, especially in the South. The phrase "RC Cola and a MoonPie" became a well-known phrase, as many people enjoyed this delicious, bargain-priced combination.

MoonPies and RC Cola - The Dixie Duo

MoonPies reached the peak of their popularity during the 1950s. They appealed to many workers because they were cheap and filling. Around that time, you could buy a MoonPie and a soda for a dime. The popular legend suggests that RC Cola became the drink of choice to accompany a MoonPie because a serving of RC Cola was typically larger than a serving of Coca-Cola or other sodas. This combination became inseparable and was often referred to as "the working man's lunch."

A popular jingle by Big Bill Liston was composed in the early 1950s, called "Gimme an RC Cola and a MoonPie." In the 1990s, the band NRBQ (New Rhythm & Blues Quartet) re-recorded the song. It was so popular among their fans that they held a series of concerts called "MoonPie Festivals."

MoonPie Fun Facts

The MoonPie slogan is "The only one on the planet."
In the past 10 years, a mini MoonPie has been developed. It is about half the size of the original MoonPie.
There is also a "Double Decker MoonPie" made with two graham cracker cookies.
Today, MoonPies come in a variety of flavors - strawberry, orange and lemon, as well as the old-time favorites, chocolate, banana and vanilla.
Millions of special-made mini MoonPies (wrapped in purple foil) are thrown every year during Mardi Gras.
The World Championship MoonPie Eating Contest is held annually in the town of Oneonta, Alabama. Of course, they always wash the MoonPies down with an ice cold RC Cola.
Every year in June there is a RC and MoonPie Craft Festival in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. There is a "RC-MoonPie Parade" and contests with names such as "MoonPie Song Contest" and "MoonPie Madness."
During the 1970s, the invention of the microwave made eating a MoonPie even more enjoyable - heated!
In nearly every store that carries food in Nashville, TN, you will find MoonPies and RC Colas on the shelves. Not only have RC Cola and MoonPie survived and flourished throughout the South, their popularity is growing around the globe. It's not just a Southern thing anymore.